Starting and stopping mechanism



April 1, 1941'. B. T. LEVEQUE STARTING AND STOPPING MECHANISM Filed March 17, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet l W .519 Mia? April 1, 1941.

B. T. LEVEQUE 2,237,185

STARTING AND STOPPING MECHANISM Filed March 17. 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A ril 1, 1941. B. T. LEVEQUE.

v STARTING AND STOPPING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 17, 1939 ,Th've n'lbr llllll l A B. T. LEVEQUE STARTING AND STOPPING MECHANISM April 1, 1941.

Filed March 17, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Witness Patented Apr. 1, 1941 STARTING AND STOPPING MECHANISM Bernard T. Leveque, Wenham, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Borough of Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 17, 1939, Serial No. 262,389

11 Claims.

The present invention relates primarily to shoe sewing machines and is concerned more particularly with improvements in starting and stopping mechanisms of the type disclosed in the present inventors prior-Patent No. 2,098,251, issued November 9, 1937.

In the machine of that patent separate trains of mechanism are provided between the cam shaft of the machine and the principal thread manipulating and work feeding devices. In order that these devices, upon stopping the machine, may be brought to rest at a predetermined time in the cycle of operations while the cam shaft is permitted to rotate to final stopping position, the trains of mechanism include elements adapted to be disconnected at a definite point in the revolution of the cam shaft. The disconnectible elements in each train of mechanism comprise a cam actuated lever and a linkmovable into and out of engagement therewith, the links and levers being provided for this purpose with cooperating notched and notch-engaging portions.

To effect the disconnectioon of the movable links from their actuating levers, the machine of the aforesaid patent is provided with a control shaft and a series of arms actuated thereby, each disconnectible link having an arm associated therewith. Each arm is provided with a plate having a notch or recess which is adapted, when the machine is stopped, to be engaged by a pin projecting from the disconnectible link with which the arm cooperates. During the operation of the machine, the links are in engagement with the cam actuated levers and out of engagement with the plates carried by the control arms. Upon stopping the machine, the control shaft is rocked at a predetermined point in the revolution of the cam shaft, causing the control arms to move the notched plates into engagement with the pins on the links and thereafter to raise the links out of engagement with the cam actuated levers. The disconnected links and the sewing devices actuated thereby are thus positively held against movement by engagement of the pins within the notches of the plates carried by the control arms while the cam shaft rotates to final stopping position.

For the successful operation of the mechanism above described, the operating cams must be arranged to provide brief dwells at the instant of disconnection of the links in stopping the machine in order that the engagement of the notched plates with the pins on the links may take place when the links are stationary. Otherwise thelinks will be locked against movement while still bein positively driven by the cam actuated levers and breakage will occur. Also breakage will occur on starting the machine if the cam levers are in motion before being engaged by the links.

For these reasons the mechanism of the patented machine has not proved entirely satisfactory since even slight changes forany reason in the position of the locking devices or in the timing of the various operating cams was apt to occasion considerable trouble requiring time and patience to eliminate.

The objects of theinventio n are to provide mechanism of the same general character as disclosed in said patent, but of improved construction and arrangement which will be free from the objectionable features of the mechanism of the patent, which will be capable of high speed operation and which will enable the parts to be brought to rest in the desired position quickly and accurately without injurious shock or jar.

To these ends thepresent invention contemplates the provision, in a machine having an operating instrumentality or device driven from a rotating shaft through a train of mechanism comprising elements which can be disconnected to bring the device to rest while the shaft continues to'rotate, of frictional braking means rendered operative upon the disconnection of the driving elements to lock the device from movement,

By the provision of frictional braking means in the place of the positively acting notches of the prior construction, the certainty and accuracy of operation of the prior construction are retained both as to the time in the cycle of operations of the machine at which the driving elements are disengaged in throwing the actuated device out of operation and as to the time at which they are re-engaged in throwing the actuated device into operation, and at the same time any liability of breakage or other injury due to shock or jar is avoided. The frictional braking means can be rendered operative while the driving elements are in engagement, and no injury will result even if the elements are not in a state of rest. Also, by reason of the continued frictional grip of the braking means there can be, no displacement, accidental or otherwise, of the device, and the disconnected portion of the actuating train after the elements are disconnected.

The invention in its broader aspects contemplates any suitable form of frictional braking means.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention hereinafter described, means are provided for frictionally looking a slide actuated by the disconnectible portion of the actuating train to a fixed guiding member for the slide.

The invention also consists in certain novel- 34 of the machine. The cam-actuated lever 26 is provided at its upper end with a pin 36 adapted to engage, during the operation of the machine,

much of the machine being illustrated as is necessary to a full understanding of the invention. cept as hereinafter set forth, to the outsole shoe sewing machine illustrated and described in the present inventors Patent 2,098,251 above referred to, to which patent reference may be had for a more complete description. In the drawings, Figure l is a view in right side elevation of the head portion of such machine, the train of mechanisms for actuating the awl being shown in dotted line; Figure 2 is a top plan view, partly in sectiornof a portion of the head of the machine with the upper portion of the frame and certain of the operating parts removed to show the trains of mechanisms ,for actuating the needle and awl; Figure 3 is a View in side elevation, partly in section of the parts shown in Figure 2, the said trains of mechanisms being shown in the position they assume when the machine is running; Figure 4 is a detail view in front elevation of a portion of the frictional braking it mechanism of the invention, taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, the braking mechanism being shown in inoperative or running position; and Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, but with the parts in the position they assume when the machine is stopped, and with the frictional braking mechanism in operative or locking position.

The machine is provided with stitch forming and work feeding devices similar in construction and arrangement to those of the machine of the patent referred to. These devices comprise the curved awl 8 and curved hook needle I clamped in the awl segment 12 and needle segment l4 respectively, the thread finger I6, loop spreader I8, loop taker 28, work support 22 and the presser foot 24.

To actuate the various sewing instrumentalities, a plurality of separate trains of mechanisms are provided, each train comprising a cam-actuated lever and a link movable into and out of engagement therewith. During operation of the machine, the links are in engagement with their respective cam-actuated levers, while upon stopping the machine the links are moved out of engagement with said levers to disconnect the various sewing devices from the actuating means. As these trains are similar to one another and, except as hereinafter described, are likewise similar to those shown and described in Patent No. 2,098,251, only the mechanisms for actuating the needle and the awl are illustrated, it being understood that the trains of mechanism for actuating the other thread handling and work feeding devices are of the same general construction and arrangement.

The train of mechanisms for actuating the awl comprises a cam actuated lever 26 pivotally mounted on a supporting shaft 28 and provided with a cam follower 38 which, engages a groove in the cam disk 32 mounted on the cam shaft The machine is substantially similar, eX-- a notch 38 in the under side of the disconnectible link 48. The link 40 is pivotally connected at its forward end to the lower end of an arm of a bell crank lever 44 pivotally mounted on a supporting shaft 46 arranged transversely of the machine. The other arm 48 of the bell crank is provided at its forward end with a toothed segment 58 which meshes with gear teeth 52 formed in the awl segment l2 pivotally mounted on the needle and awl stud 54. Thus, when the notch of the disconnectible link engages the pin 36 of the cam-actuated lever 26, the awl is oscillated by positive connections from the cam shaft, while disengagement of the link with the pin permits continued rotation of the cam shaft and oscillation of the cam lever 26 Withoutactuation of the awl.

Oscillation of the needle is effected by a similar train of mechanism, the cam-actuated lever for the needle being indicated at 56 in Figure 2, the cam disk therefor at 58, and the disconnectible link at 68. The link 60 is pivotally connected to a bell crank lever 62 mounted on shaft 46 beside the bell crank lever 44 of the awl actuating mechanism. Oscillation of the needle segment l4 about the stud 54 is effected by inter-meshing toothed segments 64 and 66 on needle segment l4 and bell crank lever 62 respectively.

The cam shaft 34 is driven through intermeshing spiral gears from a cross shaft 18 on which is mounted a loose pulley 12 which is constantly rotated by means of a belt, not shown, from a motor in the base of the machine. The pulley l2 isprovided with a clutch surface adapted to cooperate with a clutch member 14 mounted to rotate with the cross shaft and adapted to be moved longitudinally into and out of engagement with the pulley 12 by means of a yoke 16. The yoke is rocked to move the clutch member into engagement with the pulley I2 by means of an arm 18 which is engaged by a collar 88 on the treadle rod 82 when the treadle, not shown, is depressed to start the machine.

To raise the disconnectible links out of engagement with the cam actuated levers upon stopping the machine, and to lower said links into engagement with their actuating levers upon starting the machine, a control shaft 84 is provided, as in the machine of the patent above referred to. The control shaft is rocked in clockwise direction, as viewed in Figures 1, 3 and 5,

"- upon stopping the machine, and in counter-clockwise direction upon starting the machine, by connections similar in arrangement and operation to those of the prior patent, the rocking movement of the control shaft being timed to occur at a predetermined point in the revolution of the cam shaft, namely, at the instant when the cam actuated levers are stationary as a result of the configuration of the cam grooves.

The mechanism for rocking the control shaft 84 comprises starting and stopping cams 86 and 88 formed on a single cam disk 90 mounted to rotate with, but movable longitudinally of, the cam shaft 34 into operative relation with a starting and stopping lever pivotally mounted on supthe plane of a cam. follower 98 on the stopping arm 98 of the lever.

The starting and stopping cam disk 90 is shifted longitudinally of the cam shaft through connections actuated by the starting and stopping treadle, which likewise serves, as hereinbefore described, to connect and disconnect the cam shaft from its driving means. These connections comprise an arm I forked at its lower end to engage a groove formed in the cam disk 90 and secured at its upper end to a rock shaft I02 arranged transversely of the cam shaft 34. The rock shaft I02 has secured to its outer end a generally horizontal cross bar I04, one end of which is forked and provided with oppositely disposed adjustable stop screws I66 adapted to cooperate with a fixed lug I68 on the machine frame to limit the longitudinal movement of the starting and stopping cam disk 90. The other end of the cross bar I04 is provided with a pivotally mounted block IIO through which the treadle rod 82 passes. Secured to the treadle rod below the block is a collar II2, while above the block IIO a compression spring 4' surrounds the treadle rod between said block and a second collar II-6 secured to the upper end of the treadle rod. Downward movement of the treadle rod upon depressing the treadle thus'not only serves to connect the cam shaft to the driving motor through engagement of the clutch members as hereinbefore described, but also actuates the cross bar I04 to rock the shaft I02 and thereby move the starting cam 86 into the plane of the starting lever 94. Upon release of the treadle, the rod 82 moves upwardly, the collar II2 engaging and then rocking the cross bar I04 to move the cam disk in the opposite direction to bring the stopping cam into the plane of the follower on the stopping lever, the clutch members also being disengaged to disconnect the cam shaft from the driving motor.

The connections between the starting and stopping lever and the control shaft 85 comprise the bell crank lever H6 pivotally mounted on a stud I20 in the frame of the machine and connected to the upper end of the stopping arm 98 of the starting and stopping lever by a link I22. The other arm of the bell crank is connected by a link I 24 to an arm I26 secured to the control shaft. The parts are so proportioned and arranged that when the starting and stopping lever is rocked in counter-clockwise direction by the stopping cam, the bell crank lever H8 is rocked in a clockwise direction to straighten the toggle joint formed by the link I24 and the horizontal arm of the bell crank and thereby lock the parts in theposition shown in Figure 5. Upon shifting the starting and stopping cam disk to bring the starting cam into engagement with the starting lever, the bell crank H8 is rocked in counterclockwise direction to break the toggle joint and to move the parts into the position shown in Figure 3. Stop screws I 21 and I28 limit the throw of the bell crank, and therefore the amount the control shaft 84 may be rockedin each direction by the starting and stopping mechanism described.

To move the disconnectible links into and out of engagement with their respective actuating devices upon rocking movement of the control shaft 84, separate connections are provided between said shaft and each disconnectible link. As inthe prior patent, these connections are likewise arranged, upon disconnection of the links, to secure the disconnected devices against further movement until the machine is again started. The connections of the present invention differ, however, from those of the prior arrangement in that a non-positive or frictional locking engagement of the parts is provided, as distinguished from the positive lock afforded by the cooperating pins and notched blocks of the aforesaid patent. Since the connections hereinafter described. for moving the various disconnectible links of the several trains of mechanisms into and out of operative position are substantially alike in construction and mode of operation, only those connections for disconnecting the links of the needle and awl mechanisms are described and lustrated.

The connections between the control shaft 84 and the disconnectible link 40 of the awl actuating mechanism comprise a bell crank lever I30 loosely mounted on the shaft 84 and provided with a generally horizontal arm I32 having a bore or guideway I3 3 formed therein lengthwise of the arm. Received for sliding movement within this guideway is a member I36, pivotally connected at one end by stud l30 to the disconnectible link =30. The arm I32 of the bell crank and the member I36 slidingly received therein thus constitute an extensible arm or telescopic connection between the disconnectible link and the control shaft 84, whereby rocking movement of the bell crank serves to lower or raise the disco-nnectible link into or out of engagement with its actuating lever 26 while permitting free reciprocation of the link.

The bell crank I36 is rocked about the control the offset portion I44 of the rock. arm and slidably received in a vertical passage I48 intersecting the guideway I34 in arm. I32 to one side of the center line thereof. The gripping pin I46 is formed. adjacent its lower end with a cut-away portion of increasing depth from bottom to top to provide a Wedging surface I56 which is adapted, when the pin is drawn upwardly in arm I32, to engage the member I36 and by such wedging enagement to secure said member: frictionally against movement within the guideway;

While the machine is in operation, the disconnectible link 49 is in engagement with the cam actuated lever 26, and the member I36 reciprocates freely within the guideway in arm 132, the gripping pin ,Itfi'passing loosely through the rock arm Mil and. resting lightly on member I36 as. in Figures 3 and 4. To insure that the disconnectible link does not become disengaged from its actuating lever while the machine is in operation,

84 in clockwise direction in stopping the machine, which movement is timed to occur when the various disconnectible links are stationary, the rock arm I40 is raised to engage the head of the gripping pin I46 and thereafter to raise said pin until the wedging surface I50 engages the member I36. Due to the weight of the disconnectible link, bell crank and associated parts, together with the force of spring I52 tending to resist upward movement of arm I32, the gripping pin is drawn into firm wedging engagement with member I36 before upward rocking movement is imparted-to the guideway arm I32. As the control. shaft completes its rocking movement in clockwise direction, the disconnectible link is lifted to raise the notch 38 clear of the pin 36 on lever 26, the gripping pin locking the member I36 and therefore the disconnectible link 49 and the other elements of the train of mechanisms, including the awl, in substantially the position they occupied at the instant of disconnection of the link. The degree of frictional engagement of the grip ping pin with member I36 may be adjusted by stud I56, by which the force of spring I52 tending to resist upward movement of the guideway arm I32 may be varied.

When the treadle is depressed to start the machine, the control shaft 84 is rocked in counterclockwise direction, as has been described, at the instant when the pins of the cam actuated levers are directly beneath the notches of the respective disconnectible links. The discomiectible link 46 of the awl actuating mechanism is thereupon lowered directly into engagement with its actuating lever 26, and upon continued rocking of arm I40, the gripping pin I46 is released to unlock the member I36 and permit free reciproca-,

- tion thereof within the guideway.

The connections between the control shaft and the disconnectible links of the other trains of mechanism are similar to the connections described, the bell crank lever of the connections for the disconnectible link 60 of the needle actuating mechanism being indicated at I59 in Figure 2. The member connected to the link 60 and reciprocating within the guideway in the horizontal arm of the bell crank I59 is shown at I66, the gripping pin at I62, the rock arm at I64, and the compression spring at I66 with adjusting screw I68.

The above described constructions and arrangements of parts for effecting the connection and disconnection of certain of the operating devices from the cam shaft upon starting and stopping the machine, while particularly adapted for use in outsole shoe sewing machines, are capable of use in other types of machines and, accordingly, the several features of the invention are not to be considered as limited to any particular application except as specifically defined in the appended claims.

The nature and scope of the present invention having been indicated, and a machine embodying the several features of the invention having been described, what is claimed is:

1. A machine having, in combination, devices cooperating to perform an operation, an operating shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a trainof mechanism for actuating a device from the operating shaft comprising disconnectible elements, means for disconnecting said elements during the continued rotation of the shaft to disconnect the device and a portion of the train from the shaft, and frictional braking means rendered operative upon the-disconnection of said elements to lock the disconnected device from movement during the continued rotation of the shaft.

2. A machine having, in combination, devices cooperating to perform an operation, an operating shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a train of mechanism for actuating a device from the operating shaft comprising disconnectible elements, means for disconnecting said elements during the continued rotation of the shaft to disconnect the device and a portion of the train from the shaft, and frictional braking means rendered operative bysaid disconnecting means to lock the disconnected device from movement during the continued rotation of the shaft.

3, A machine having, in combination, devices cooperatingto perform an operation, an operatingshaft, means for rotatingthe shaft, a train of mechanismfor actuating a device from the operating shaft comprising disconnectible elements, means for disconnecting said elements during the continued rotation of the shaft to disconnect the device and aportion of the train from the shaft,- and means for frictionally engaging an element of the disconnected portion of the train to lock the disconnected device from movement during the continued rotation of the shaft.

4. A machine havin in combination, devices cooperatingto perform an operation, anoperating shaft, a train of mechanism for actuating a device from theoperating shaft comprising a disconnectible element, means for disconnecting said element upon stopping the machine to disconnect thedevice from the shaft, and frictional braking means rendered operative during the stopping of the machine to lock the disconnected device from movement during the continued rotation of the shaft.

cooperating to perform an operation, an operating shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a train of mechanism ,for actuating a device from the operating shaft comprising a cam actuated lever and a link disconnectibly connected thereto, means for disconnecting the link from the cam actuated lever during the continued rotation of the shaft to disconnect the actuated device from the shaft, and frictional braking means rendered operative upon disconnection of the link to lock ing shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a train of mechanism for actuating a device from the operating shaft comprising disconnectible elements,

means for disconnecting said elements during the continued rotation of the shaft to disconnect the device and a portion of the train from the shaft,

and means for locking the disconnected device from movement comprising a slide actuated by the disconnectible portion of the train, a guide for the slide, and means for frictionally locking the slide tov the guide upon the disconnection of said elements.

'7. A machine having, in combination, devices cooperating to perform an operation, an operating shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a train of mechanism for actuating a device from the operating shaft comprising a cam actuated lever, and a link connected to the lever, a slide pivotally connected to the link, a pivotally mounted arm having a guideway to receivethe slide, and means for swinging the arm to disconnect the link from the cam lever and for frictionally locking the slide to the guide to lock the disconnected link from movement during the continued rotation o the shaft.

. 8. A machine having, in combination, devices.

5. A machine having, in combination, devicescooperating to perform an operation, an operating shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a train of mechanism for actuating a device from the shaft comprising a cam actuated lever and a link disconnectibly connected thereto, a slide connected to the link, a guiding member for the slide, means for moving the guiding member during the continued rotation of the shaft to disconnect the link from the lever, and means rendered operative upon the disconnection of the link for frictionally locking the slide to the guiding member.

9. A machine having, in combination, devices cooperating to perform an operation, an operating shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a train of mechanism for actuating a device from the shaft, comprising a cam actuated lever and a link disconnectibly connected thereto, a slide connected to the link, a guiding member for the slide, means for moving the guiding member during the continued rotation of the shaft to disconnect the link from the lever, and frictional gripping means carried by the guiding member and rendered operative by said moving means upon disconnecting movement thereof to lock the slide to the guiding member.

10. A machine having, in combination, devices cooperating to perform an operation, an operating shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a train of mechanism for actuating a device from the shaft comprising disconnectible elements, means for connecting and disconnecting said elements to connect and disconnect the device together-with a portion of the train and the shaft, and means for locking the disconnected device from movement comprising a slide actuated by the disconnectible portion of the train, a guiding'member for the slide, frictional gripping means carried by the guiding member, and means for actuating the frictional gripping means upon the disconnection of said elements to lock the slide to the guide and for actuating the frictional gripping means to release the slide upon the connection of said elements.

11. A machine having, in combination, devices cooperating to perform an operation, an operating shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a train of mechanism for actuating a device from the shaft comprising disconnectible elements, means for connecting and disconnecting said elements to connect and disconnect the device together with a portion of the train and the shaft, and means I for locking the disconnected device from movement comprising a slide actuated by the disconnectible portion of the train, a guiding member for the slide, a gripping pin mounted in the guid-- ing member and extending transversely of the direction of sliding movement of the slide, said pin being provided with a wedging surface adapted to engage and frictionally lock the slide to the guiding member, and means for moving the pin upon the disconnection of said elements to lock the slide to the guiding member.

BERNARD T. LEVEQUE; 

